Pak PM Abbasi likely to target India in his UNGA speech; OIC meeting on J&K as well

New York, Sept 19: Besides presenting his country's views on new US policy, discussing international issues with the world leaders, Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is expected to target "Indian terrorism" in his "aggressive" speech to the UN General Assembly's 72nd Session on Thursday. There will also be a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Contact Group on Jammu and Kashmir. According to the media reports from Islamabad and here in New York, the officials at the Pakistan Foreign Ministry had said that the Prime Minister would deliver an aggressive speech at the UNGA – targeting India. A senior official at the Foreign Ministry has told The Nation that Abbasi would discuss Trump’s new policy for South Asia and "India’s interference in Pakistan’s internal matters" in his meetings with the world leaders on the sidelines of the UNGA. “The aim is to promote Pakistan’s point of view as much as possible. The speech of the PM [for the UNGA] has also been prepared keeping in view the regional situation and India’s nexus with the terrorists,” he said. Another official at the Foreign Ministry said that the PM would share evidence of Indian interference with the US Vice President and other world leaders. “He will emphasise that instead of putting pressure on Pakistan, the world should hold India accountable for grave human rights violations in Kashmir and supporting terrorism in Pakistan,” the official said. Last month, when Trump announced his policy questioning Pakistan’s role in terror war and urging India to play a “bigger role” in Afghanistan, Pakistan had launched diplomatic efforts to counter the damage. A three-day envoys’ conference was held in Islamabad this month to discuss the foreign policy after Trump’s criticism. Later, Foreign Minister Khawaja Asif said that Pakistan was undergoing a “seismic shift” and needed to find “correct direction”. Asif later flew to China afterwards to discuss Trump’s speech. He later visited Iran and Turkey. In the meanwhile, Prime Minister Abbasi will hold nine bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to present Pakistan’s point of view on international issues and the new US policy on South Asia. The PM is leading Pakistan delegation to the 72nd Session of the UNGA in New York. The bilateral meetings of PM Abbasi include the one with US Vice President Mike Pence which the Trump Administration has suggested as part of their efforts “to re-engage with Pakistan”. It will be first direct Pakistan-US interaction after the announcement of Afghan and South Asia policy by President Trump that made scathing attack and hurled threats to Pakistan. Pakistan Ambassador to the UN Dr Maleeha Lodhi had said on Sunday that the Pence-Abbasi talks were likely to take place on Tuesday (today). The new Trump policy lays special emphasis on kinetic operations to subdue the Taliban insurgency in Afghanistan, envisions greater role for India in Afghanistan and the overall regional security. The US president in his speech had also lambasted Pakistan for offering safe havens to “agents of chaos”. The tirade evoked strong response from Pakistan and plunged the bilateral relationship to one of its lowest ever levels. Responding to questions, Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States Aizaz Chaudhry said the United States has its own views about Afghanistan and Pakistan has its own position. “We will see how it goes.” Ambassador Lodhi said that the prime minister would “outline Pakistan’s position on key international political, social and development issues of vital concern to the country.” UNI